different between pelf vs pickings

English

Etymology

From Late Middle English pelf, pelfe (“stolen goods, booty, spoil; forfeited property; money, riches; property; valuable object”), possibly from Anglo-Norman pelf (a variant of pelfre (“booty, loot”)) and Old French peufre (“frippery; rubbish”); further etymology uncertain, possibly a metathesis of Old French felpe, ferpe, frepe (“a rag”). The English word is perhaps related to Late Latin pelfa, pelfra, pelfrum (“forfeited or stolen goods”), Middle French peuffe and French peufe, peuffe (“old clothes; rubbish”) (Normandy), and pilfer.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /p?lf/
• Rhymes: -?lf

Noun

pelf (countable and uncountable, plural pelfs)

1. (uncountable, chiefly derogatory, dated) Money, riches; gain, especially when dishonestly acquired; lucre, mammon.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:acquisition, Thesaurus:booty, Thesaurus:money
2. (uncountable, dated) Rubbish, trash; specifically (Britain, dialectal) refuse from plants.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:trash

3. (uncountable, Southwest England) Dust; fluff.
4. (countable, Yorkshire, derogatory) A contemptible or useless person.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:worthless person

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:important person

Derived terms

• pelfish (obsolete)
• pelfray, pelfry (obsolete)

Related terms

• pilfer (possibly)

Translations

References

Further reading

• “PELF, sb.” in Joseph Wright, editor, The English Dialect Dictionary: […], volume IV (M–Q), London: Published by Henry Frowde, […], publisher to the English Dialect Society, […]; New York, N.Y.: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1903, ?OCLC, page 461.

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?p?k??z/

Noun

pickings

1. plural of picking